Base-ball-game apparatus



. S N I B 0 R H BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

No. 561,916. Patented June 9, 1896.

Inventor.

Witnesses:

% /Attorne v.

(No Model.) 2 SlieetsSheet 2.

w. H. ROBINSON.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

No. 561,916. Patented J1me 9, 1896.

Witnesses: Inventor.

Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricn WVILLIAM II. ROBINSON, OF YVASHINGTON,DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE W. ROBINSON, OF XVILLIAMSPORT,MARYLAND.

BASE-BALL-GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,916, dated June 9,1896.

Application filed March 26, 1895. Serial No. 543,214. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HAMILTON ROBINSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, re

siding at lvashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Indoor or Parlor Base-Ball Erame Apparatus;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an indoor or parlor base-ball game in miniatureto the wellknown field game of base-ball.

The object of my invention is to provide an indoor game which moreclosely approximates the outdoor game of base-ball than any other indoorgame heretofore known or used, and in. which counts maybe madesubstantially as in the outdoor game.

A further object of my invention is to util ize'a ball in connectionwith certain improved mechanism for manipulating the game in accordancewith the existing rules now in vogue in the outdoor or field game.

The foregoing, together with such other objects as may occur from theensuing description, are attained by the device illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a plan view of my improvedgame-board, illustrating in dotted lines my improved mechanism inconnection therewith. Fig. 2 is a rear plan view of my improved board,illustrating in full lines the operating mechanism attached to the underside of the same and utilized in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is atransverse section on the line so 93, Fig. 1. Fig. 4; is a detail Viewof the batsman or batting device used in connection with my improveddevice. Fig. 5 is a view in detail of the pitcher or pitching device,showing the pin for pivoting the same to the upper surface of thegame-board; and Fig. 6 is a view of the pitcher or pitching device,illustrating the position of the same in respect to the board when aboutto deliver or pitch the ball.

A represents the field, which may be made from a board of any suitablematerial, upon which are laid out the various positions of the players,as in a base-ball game, which positions are indicated by black dots inFig. 1 of the drawings and at these positions, if desired, figures maybe arranged and suitably secured to the board to represent the catcher,basemen, and fielders.

A designates a depending flange secured to .or forming a part of theboard and constituting a support therefor.

B represents the batsman and C the pitcher or device for delivering theball. The batsman or batting device and the pitcher may be removablysecured to the board, and the other figures representing the players maybe entirely omitted, if desired.

The pitcher G is preferably made of a single piece of suitable material,and is pivoted to the upper surface of the board by a pin 0', andconsists of a member extending down ward through a slot in the board,said memher having a niche or recess 0 and a portion of the pitcherprojects upward from the board and is provided with a semicircularrecess at 0 adapted to receive a soft rubber ball, as clearly shown inFigs. 5 and G of the drawings. The lower end of the pitcher is providedwith a hole or perforation adapted to receive one end of a coiled spring4, the other end of the spring being suitably secured at 4.

For securing the pitcher in an inclined position or in the positionassumed when about to deliver the ball, I utilize a lever B, suitablypivoted at 3, and to which lever is secured one end of a coiled spring5, the other end being secured to the board. At or near the end of thelever 2 is a projection or nose 3 adapted to enter the recess 0 in thelower portion of the pitcher, and thus hold the latter until releasedthrough the medium of a cord orrod 8, one end of which is connected tothe said lever 22, the other end running to the outside of the board andprovided at if outer end with a ring 8. Secured to the in. der side ofthe board in any suitable manner is a stop 7, which projects downwardfrom the under surface of the board and serves to limit the forwardmovement of both the lever 2 and the lower end a of the pitching deviceor pitcher.

B indicates the batsman or device by which the ball is batted, andconsists of an upright post projected through the board to a suitabledistance above the same, and having an arm 9, constituting the bat, saidpost being suit- IOO ably supported through the medium of and adapted torest in a block E, attached at or near the base of the board-support A.Near the base of the batting device and below the board is a lug orprojection 11, and slightly below said lug is a staple or eye 11, towhich is attached one end of a coiled spring 10, the other end of thespring being secured to the under side of the board at 11 1 indicates alever pivoted at e, one end of which lever is cut away at c to form acamsurface. At the point e of said lever is secured one end of a spring1, the other end of the spring being fastened to a block 2, to

which is adapted a set-screw for regulating the tension of the spring 1,which latter controls the swinging movement of the lever 1 on its pivote, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring 10, connected to the bat-ting device,being much stronger than the spring 1, it will readily overcome theslight resistance exercised on the batting device by the said spring 1through the medium of the lever 1, thus causing the batting operationsimultaneously with the release of the outer end of lever 1, whichrelease is caused by the forward movement of the pitching device orpitching operation.

When the batting device is in position to bat the ball, the spring 1,secured to the lever 1, is exercising more or less tension on thebatting device through the medium of the inner end or cam-surface ofsaid lever. Hence it will be perceived that the regulating of thetension of said spring governs the rapidity of the partial rotation ofthe batter or force of the batting blow.

7 7 indicate stops suitably secured to the under surface of. the board,serving to limit the play or swinging movement of the levers 1 and 2,respectively.

The upper surface of the board at D is provided with a square ordiamond, inclined in opposite directions between the base-plates 16 1616 16, respectively, which base-plates are suitably pivoted in thecut-out portions of the diamond, and each of said base-plates is adaptedto be operated through the medium of levers 1'7 17 17 17, respectively,suitably supported to the under side of the board. By depressing theouter end of each of said levers the inner projecting end of each islifted and serves to cause the base-plate to assume the position shownin dotted lines,

3, thereby forcing the baseman (represented in dotted lines, Fig. 3) totravel to the next base or destination.

Vhen it is desired to bat the ball, it is only necessary to take hold ofthe bat and partially rotate the same, together with the batsman orbatting device B, around to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,and in full lines, Fig. 2, at the same time pressing rearwardly thepitcher C, so that the lower portion of the latter will rest in front ofthe lever 2, the nose of which rests in the niche or recess 0 of thepitcher, and thus secures the same in a position to deliver the ball.The partial rotation of the batsman causes the outer end of the lever 1,which is in the path of the lug 11, to assume the position shown in Fig.2, the outer end of the said lever being held in such position by thedepending forward portion of the pitching de vice until released by therearward movement of said depending portion. The depending portion ofthe pitching device is held in its forward position bya nose or projection 3 forming a part of the lever 2, and when held in such positionit is under tension or pull of the spring 4.

When the parts shall have assumed the position shown in Fig. 2, to batthe ball it is then only necessary to exert a slight pull on the cord orwire 8, which releases the nose of the lever 2, thus releasing almostsimultaneously both-the pitcher and batsman. The release of the batsmanthus causes the bat to swing into contact with the ball as deliveredthrough the medium of the pitching device.

Assuming the player or operator to represent the batsman, bymanipulating the lever 17 he forces the glass ball, representing in thisinstance the base-runner, down the dia mond to first base. Then bymanipulating the lever 17 the base-runner or ball is forced down to thesecond base, from thence to the third base by manipulating the lever 17,and from thence to the home-plate by operating lever 17, provided thebatted ball is not returned by one of the players before the runnerreaches the home-plate or before the runner is touched by the fieldedball during the circuit of the bases.

It will be observed, owing to the inclines of the diamond, that if therunner is not properly coached through the medium of the propermanipulation of the levers the ball may return on the inclined portion,and it is also liable to be caught between the bases, since one of thefielders or players in the game may return the bal in time to catch thebase-runner during his circuit of the bases.

It will be understood that any desirable material may be used in theconstruction of a my improved game, and that the board or field may beof any suitable or required di mensions.

A slight departure from the exact details described may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure byLetters Patent is- 1. An indoor or parlor base -ball game, comprising aboard, a pitching device pivoted to the upper portion or. surface of theboard, a batting device removably journaled to said board, and a leverpivoted to the board be tween the pitching and batting devices forholding the batting device in position to bat the ball, both thepitching and batting devices being operated through the medium of asingle connecting cord or wire, substantially as described.

2. A game board, comprising a pivoted pitching device removably securedto the up- .per surface of the board, a batting device reincvablyjournaled to said board, and a lever pivoted to the board between thepitching and batting devices its inner end having a camsurface forholding the batting device in a position to bat the ball, said pitchingand batting devices being operated through the medium of a singleconnecting cord or wire to release the same and simultaneously pitch andbat the ball, substantially as described.

3. An indoor game, comprising a board, the upper surface of which isrecessed to form a square or diamond, each side of the diamond having araised portion and inclined in opposite directions, and pivotedbase-plates secured at each angle or corner of the diamond,substantially as shown and described.

4. An indoor game, comprising a board, the upper surface of which isrecessed to form a square or diamond, each side of the diamond having araised portion and inclined in opposite directions, cut-out portions ateach angle or corner of the diamond, and pivoted base-plates secured tothe said cut-out portions of the diamond, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. In an indoor base -ball game, a gameboard, a batting device suitablyjournaled thereto, a pitching device pivotally secured to the uppersurface of the board, alever pivoted to the board near its inner end andintermediate ot the pitching and batting devices, said lever securingthe batting device in a position to batthe ball and the outer end ofsaid lever being held by the lower end of the pitchto secure the pitcherin position to deliver the ball, the lower end of the pitcher securingthe batter in a locked position until it is desired to release the same,and means for simultaneously releasing both the pitcher and the batter,substantially as shown and described.

7. In an indoor base-ball game, a gameboard, a batting device suitablyjournaled thereto, a pitching device pivotally secured to the upperportion of the board, a lever pivoted to the board near its inner endand be tween the pitching and batting devices, one end resting againstthe batting device and the other end against the pitching device, alever adapted to secure the pitcher in position to bat the ball, meansconnected to the last-named lever for releasing the pitcher and battersubstantially simultaneously, and springs for returning the levers totheir normal positions, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLIAM H. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

HARRY XV. WALLIS, J. FRED. KELLEY.

